Foam-producing fire-extinguishing apparatus



J. R. HAMILTON FOAM PRODUCING FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUSH Sept ll, 1923. v 1,46713;75 f 1" Filed March 6, 1919 Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. HAMILTON, 0F YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OHIO AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTO WN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FOAM-PRODUGIN G FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 6, 1919. Serial No. 281,048.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Yonkers, county of Westchester, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Foam- Producing F ire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection, with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates especially to apparatus for producing foam of a fire extinguishing character and for this purpose one or more high pressure supply tanks or devices may be used connected to the distributing or mixing devices located at various parts of the building so as to supply thereto an emulsifying liquid which may -advantageously be incorporated with dissolved bicarbonate or other carbonate or pressure producing material. These distributing devices may comprise a venturi or other mixing device and may be connected to in dividual or relatively small supply tanks or devices containing cooperating acidifying or other pressure producing liquid adapted when mixed with the liquid from the high pressure tank to produce large quantities of fire extinguishing foam which may be delivered or disseminated at the place where the fire starts. For this purpose the distributing device may have a thermal or other automatic releasing control device adapted to be thermally or otherwise released in any'desired way as by the automatic action of an adjacent starting fire so that the mixing action can then take place, and if desired the high pressure liquid may automatically suck or withdraw the cooperating acid reacting liquid from the adjacent supply tank so that the two maybe thoroughly and energetically mixed as by injector or venturi mixing action before being delivered and more or less disseminated adjacent the fire.

In the accompanying drawing showing in'a somewhat diagrammatic way an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the distributing devices; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through another type of distributing. device.

As diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1, the apparatus may comprise a high pressure supply tank of any desired size and construction, such as 15, which may contain a charge of any suitable carbonate licorice extract or other suitable emulsifying pressure producing liquid which preferably comprises dissolved carbonate material such as sodium bicarbonate, for instance. This supply tank may be arranged to deliver the .liquid at relatively high pressure to the various distributing devices and this may be conveniently effected by maintaining compressed air at the desired pressure above the liquid in the tank or by having the tank when its flanged cover is of the apparatus is to have the tank sufliciently elevated or under a sufficient air pressure to exert through the delivery pipe 16 amoderate/delivery pressure on the distributing devices, such as 20, arranged at suitable intervals around the building and to have the tank connected with a chemical mixing pressure generating device or tank 6 automatically brought intooperation when liquid is first delivered from the supply tank so that thereupon the chemically generated pressure is exerted on the supply tank to discharge liquid therefrom at the desired high pressure.

A chemical mixing pressure generating apparatus of this character which is somewhat diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 may be of the general type described and covered by the Everett L. Thompson, jr. Patent 1,206,173 of November 28, 1916. A cooperating casing 13 which may have a removable cover is adapted to deliver sulphuric acid or other cooperating pressure producing chemical, such as aluminum sulphate, into the tank 1 under the emergency operating condition of the apparatus. For this purpose the acid container 5 may be arranged within the casing 13 and be provided with a siphon discharge device 3, 4, adapted to deliver this charge 6 of acid into the tank below when the level of the acid rises above the top of the siphon delivery pipe 3 which 50 suppy may be effected by the starting siphon device comprising the starting acid container 7 containing a charge 8 of similar acid with which cooperate one or more siphon delivery devices, such as 10 and 9, 12 which are normally in the inoperative condition shown in the drawing. A suction actuating pipe, such as 11, may be connected in any desired way with the interior of the acid chamber 5 and with the upper part of the supply tank 15. Thus when one of the distributing devices comes into operation and liquid flows from the tank 15 through its connected discharge pipe 16 the upper part of this tank which may be formed with one or more pin-hole or small area equalizing passages such as 55 where a gravity pressure tank is used, is substantially closed and cannot allow such ingress of air as would be necessary to equalize the pressure change caused by the discharge of liquid. This causes a pressure reduction or suction impulse in the upper part of-this tank and the connected suction actuating pipe 11 so that this suction impulse when communicated to the acid chamber 5 draws additional acid into the same through one or more of the starting siphons 9, 10. These continue to deliver acid to the chamber 5 until the acid level reaches the top of the siphon discharge pipe 3 whereupon this entire charge 6 of acid is quickly delivered into the carbonate liquid 2 in the mixing tank below, generating through the chemical action of these two liquids the desired high gas pressure which is promptly transmitted through the pipe 11 to the upper part of the supply tank 15 so as to be effective in causing the fire emergency delivery of the emulsi ing carbonate or other liquid therefrom. I desired, however, the chemical mixing pressure tank 1 may be cut off at any time by closing the hand valve 14 in the pipe 11 and then the supply tank 15 may be operated by maintaining suitable air pressure above the liquid therein.

The supply pipe 16 may extend throughout the building and have at intervals the connections 17 with the distributing devices 20 which may be of any desired type and construction preferably automatically operating in the event of a neighboring fire so as to effect the mixing action necessary to produce this fire extinguishing foamy material. These distributing devices may be of the venturi or injector type so that the high pressure liquid automatically operates to mix or incorporate and also draw in if desired additional acidifying liquid from individual or neighboring supply tanks thereof, such as 19, which may be'connected with the distributing device through siphon or other connections 18 which may automatically effect the delivery of this liquid to the mixing devices in the event of fire. By

having these feeding connections 18 extend upward to a slight extent at least above the normal level of the acidified or other chemical pressure producing liquid in the adjacent tanks 19 these pipes are normally empty and yet as soon as the emergency injecting or mixing action of the distributing device takes place, sufficient suction may be cause in these feeding connections to draw up the liquid into the same, whereupon the siphon action of these pipes continues to supply liquid to the distributing device as long as any such liquid remains in the individual tank 19. i

A desirable form of such distributing apparatus is shown more in detail in Fig. 2; the connection 17 supplying the relatively high pressure liquid, which may be the carbonate emulsifying liquid, such as a water solution of sodium bicarbonate and second ary licorice extract of other emulsifying or suitable gelatinous agent, may communicate with the casing 21 in which a supply valve seat 22 is formed. This opening is normally closed by the control valve 23 of any desired construction which may be held in this closed position by the automatic thermal or other releasing control device indicated as comprising the strut 28 and cooperating thermal releasing or fusible link 29 which may be forced against the enlarged head 30 on the end of the valve stem as by the adjusting screw 27 in the yoke 26. In this way the control valve is held 'in its normally closed position until the fire extinguishing operation of the distributing device is desired and then the heat of the adjacent fire may automatically release this thermal or other releasing device 29 so that the control valve is released and may thereupon be forcibly withdrawn from its closed position as by the connected control spring 31 secured as by the bolt or screw 32 to the casing. The spring may instantly withdraw the valve from the valve seat 22 and the stem of this control valve which may move freely through the enlarged passage or aperture 39 may bring the rubber or other yieldable facing seat 25 so as to close this aperture during the fire emergency operation of the device. In this way the high pressure carbonate emulsifying liquid may be discharged through any suitable mixing devices, such as the injector mixing nozzle 33 mounted within the injector chamber 41 in the casing so as to cooperate with the venturi throat or mixing passage 34 which may be screwed or otherwise-secured in position in connection therewith. This jet of liquid can thus exert a powerful injector action causing a pressure reduction of suction within the chamber 41 and connected communicating feeding connection 18 so that the cooperating acidifying liquid may be withdrawn 24 against the from the adjacent or individual supply tank 19 thereof and be thoroughly mixed with the other high pressure liquid jet from the noz- Zle as the two liquids pass together through the venturi or other mixing passage. The thorough mixing of these liquids may be promoted by forming this mixing passage or device with one or more internal eddy recesses, such as 35, and one or more pins 36 or other projections extending more or less across this mixing passage may be used instead of or in addition to such eddy recesses, although the size of such projection should not be sutiicient to unduly throttle the passage of liquid. The mixed foam producing liquid may be distributed adjacent the distributing devices in any desired way as for instance by allowing the mixed liquids to strike upon any suitable deflector or distributor, such as the plate 38, which may be held in position by a frame 37 secured to the mixing passage. In some cases the individual tanks of acidifying liquid may be arranged at about the same level as or even below the connector distributing devices, such as a tank 59 being indicated in Fig. 1 as connected through the siphon or other feeding connection 58 with the distributing device. In this case a still more accurate proportioning of the different liquids is effected by the injector or suction action of the mixing device employed, the jet of high pressure liquid from the noz' zle 33 causing sufficient suction to continuously draw in the acidifying liquid from this feeding connection 58 in substantially the same proportion throughout the operation of the devices. In this way there is correspondingly less danger of these liquids being'mixed in improper proportions so that more effective and desirable action is thus secured. The mixed liquids may thus be more or less uniformly distributed or sprayed around the adjacent part of the building so that the foam produced thereby can extinguish the adjacent fire and of course it is unnecessary in all cases to use a defiector or distributor, such as 38, against which the stream of mixed liquid impinges, since the injector or other jet mixing device may be allowed to discharge through a relatively open throat or discharge opening so as to have more or less of an atomizing or spraying distributing action, and in some cases only a single larger tank of "the cooperating or acidifying liquid may be used.

In some cases a still more effective production of fire extinguishing foam may be secured by a centrifugal or other mixing and separating device of the general type indicated in Fig. 3. The two cooperating foam producing liquids may be mixed in any desired way as by injector action, produced for instance by such apparatus as has been described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, and

the high pressure liquid supply such as the pipes 16, 17, when provided with suitable shut off devices or valves communicating for instance with the nozzle pipe 49, for instance, while the feeding connection 51 corresponding to the pipes 18 or 58 may feed the cooperating acidifying liquid into the injector chamber 40. The mixed liquids may be injected into a suitable whirl chamber such as 43 and may enter the same through a substantially tangential entrance passage 42. The mixed liquids may whirl rapidly around the chamber, thus promoting the mixture thereof and allow the development of gas by the chemical reaction-of these liquids which produces foam of a relatively lighter character. By centrifugal action these moving liquids tend to hug the outer wall of the whirl chamber, while the resulting foam is displaced toward the center of the whirl chamber and may be discharged through one or more generally axial or central discharge openings 44 so that the lighter foam produced is continuouslydischarged with a correspondingly less proportion of the heavier more solid liquid components. If desired a deflector member, such as 45, may extend more or less into the Whirl chamber from one side which promotes the progressive discharge of the lighter foam from the other side of the chamber. The foam may as indicated be directly delivered into an oil receptacle, pan or tank, such as 46, so as to spread or flow over the oily liquid 47 therein in case of fire; or any other distributing or disseminating devices or arrangencents may be' employed to suit any other special circumstances.

This invention has been describedin con-. nection with a number of illustrative forms, parts, devices, proportions, arrangements and methods of manufacture, assembly and use, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not vof course to be limited. since what is claimed as new and what is' desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, a high pressure supply tank containing a chargeof carbonate emulsifying liquid, a connected supply pipe extending around-the protected premises, a series of distributing devices having supply connections communicating with said supply pipe to receive high pressure snpplies of liquid therefrom, individual acidifying tanks adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of acidifying liquid adapted to cooperate with said carbonate emulsifying liquid and produce fire extinguishing foam and a siphon. feeding connection between each of said distributing devices and an adjacent individual acidifying tank, said distributing devices comprising a "enturi mixing device having an injector mixing nozzle ply tank containing a c adapted to receive emulsifying liquid from said high pressure supply connection and exert suction in the communicating feeding connection, a normally closed control valve governing said supply connection adjacent said nozzle, and an automatic thermal releasing control device releasably holding said control valve in closed position, said mixing device being formed with eddy recesses and projections to promote the mixing of the liquid passing therethrough and a chemical mixing pressure generating tank connected to said supply tank and automatically operated when said liquid is withdrawn from said supply tank.

9.. In foam producing fire extinguishing a'pparatus, taining a charge of carbonate emulsifying liquid, a connected supply pipe extending around the protected premises, a series of distributing devices having supply connections communicating with said supply pipe to receive high pressure supplies of liquid therefrom, individual acidifying tanks adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of acidifying liquid adapted to cooperate with said carbonate emulsifying liquid and produce fire extinguishing ,foam and a siphon feeding connection between each of said distributing devices and an adjacent individual acidifying tank, said distributing devices comprising a mixing device having an injector nozzle adapted to receive emulsifying liquid from said high pressure supply connection and exert suction in the communicating feeding connection, a normally closed control valve governing said supply connection adjacent said nozzle, and a releasing control device releasably holding said control valve in closed pos'tion, said mixing device being formed with eddy recesses and projections to promote the mixing ofthe liquid passing therethrough.

3. In stationary foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, a high pressure supharge of emulsifying liquid, a connected supply pipe extending around the protected premises, a series of distributing devices having supply connections communicating with said supply pipe to receive high pressure supplies of liquid therefrom. individual tanks adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of liquid adapted to cooperate with said emulsifying liquid and produce foamy fire extinguishing material and a siphon feeding connection between each of said distributing devices and an adjacent individual tank, said distributing devices comprising a mixing device having an injector nozzle adapted to receive liquid from said high pressure supply connection and exert suction in the communicating feeding connection, and a normally closed thermally releasable a high pressure supply tank concontrol valve governing said supply connection, said mixing device being formed with eddy recesses and projections to promote the mixing of the liquid passing therethrough.

4. 1n stationary foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, a supply tank containing a charge of emulsifying liquid, a connected sup-ply pipe extending around the protected premises, a series of distributing devices having supply connections communicating with said supply pipe to receive high pressure supplies of liquid therefrom, tanks adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of liquid adapted to cooperate with said emulsifying liquid and produce foamy fire extinguishing material and a feeding connection between each of said distributing devices and an adjacent tank, said distributing devices comprising a mixing device adapted to receive liquid from said supply connection and exert suction in the communicating feeding connection, and a normally closed control valve governing said supply connection, and a chemical mixing pressure generating tank connected to said supply tank and automatically operated when said liquid is withdrawn from said supply tank.

5. In stationary foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, a high pressure supply tank containing a charge of carbonate emulsifying liquid, a connected supply pipe extending around the protected premises, a series of distributing devices having supply connections communicating with said sup-. ply pipe to receive high pressure supplies of li uid therefrom, a series of individual acidifying tanks adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of acidifying liquid comprising aluminum sulphate adapted to cooperate with said carbonate emulsifying liquid and a feeding connection between vice adapted to receive emulsifying liquid from said high pressure supply connection and from the communicating feeding connection, a normally closed control valve governing the discharge of liquid from said distributing device, an automatic thermal releasing control device releasably holding said control valve in closed position, and a connected chemical mixing pressure generating tank automatically operated when said liquid is withdrawn from said supply p p 6. In foam prodpcing fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing device comprising a venturi mixing device having an injector mixing nozzle adapted to receive emulsifying liquid from a high pressure supply connection and exert suction in a communicating feeding connection, a normally closed Ill control valve governing said supply connection adjacent sgid nozzle, and an automatic thermal releasing control device re leasably holding said control valve in closed position, said mixing device being formed with eddy recesses and projections to promote the mixing of the liquid passing therethrough.

7. In foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, a high pressure supply tank containing a charge of fire extinguishing liquid, a connected supply pipe extending around the protected premises, distributing devices having supply connections communieating with said supply pipe to receive high pressure supplies of liquid therefrom, individual supply tanlts adjacent said distributing devices and containing charges of cooperating liquid adapted to cooperate with and form foam in connection with said fire extinguishing liquid and a siphon feeding connection between each of said distributing devices and an adjacent individual supply tank, said distributing devices comprising a mixin device having an injector mixing nozzle a apted to receive liquid from said high presure supply connection, a. control valve normally closing said supply connection adjacent said nozzle, an automatic thermal releasing control device releasably holding said control valve in closed position, a mixing passage cooperating with said nozzle to draw liquid through the adjacent siphon feeding connection when said injector nozzle is in operation, said mixing device being formed with supplemental means to promote the mixing of the liquid passing there-through.

8. In foam producing fire extinguishing apparatus, an injector device having a con nected feeding connection communicating with a supply of acidifying liquid and an injector nozzle to be connected with a supply of high pressure emulsifying liquid, to draw in amounts of such acidifying liquid substantially proportional to the amount of cooperating liquid passing through said injector nozzle to produce fire extinguishing foam and additional mixing means for said liquids.

JOHN R. HAMILTON. 

